Savage Woman

Upon reaching the imposing gate, Dan attempted twice to unlock it, his efforts proving futile. He jiggled the key, attempting to manipulate it from side to side, and then, recognizing it as a special alloy, he applied force without hesitation.

With a satisfying click, the door yielded, swinging open to reveal a damp, musty interior. Stepping inside, Dan discovered an intricate network of pipes and valves, all crafted from specialized materials. His task was clear: open and unscrew the necessary valves, a total of three in this case.

The advantage lay in Dan's favor; he had recently indulged in a hearty meal and fortified himself with a strengthening potion, courtesy of the system. The physical demands of the task posed no challenge to him.

As he twisted the valves, a series of squeaks and groans resonated from the pipes, indicating movement within. Dan understood the meaning of this; the system needed to be vented. It had remained dormant for an extended period, necessitating pressurization to ensure its proper functioning. With this awareness, Dan proceeded, his every action guided by caution and the determination to complete his mission.

As Dan prepared to depart, a sharp ache throbbed in his arm. Despite his enhanced physique, the effort of moving the three valves had left his arm feeling strained.

Enduring the discomfort, he wiped the perspiration from his brow and announced, "Alright, let's head back."

Anna observed her father with concern, noting the glistening sweat that soaked his back. In a hushed tone, she inquired, "Dad, are you okay?"

"It's fine, sweetheart. We should return quickly. The sky appears to be clouding over again. It's been raining for three days now. Yesterday was wet, and I'm afraid today won't be any different. Hurry," Dan whispered, his voice laced with urgency. The throbbing in his arm was just that, throbbing with stress from work, so it was not really anything much.

After securing the door, father and daughter were about to make their way back when an unexpected development unfurled. Suddenly, a shadowy figure leapt onto the path, catching Dan's attention. To his astonishment, it was indeed a human figure.

The assailant lunged at Anna, brandishing a crude bone knife, but Dan swiftly drew his gun.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The adrenaline coursed through him, prompting Dan to fire, though his initial shot went astray, piercing the night sky. He quickly regained his composure, firing a second time, this shot hitting the ground and causing the attacker to drop the bone knife.

"Don't move! Move a muscle, and I'll blow your head off. We're too close for you to escape a bullet!" Dan commanded, his voice unwavering.

As the moonlight momentarily pierced through the clouds, Dan scrutinized the intruder's features. To his astonishment, it was a predator draped in animal skins, their face adorned with tribal paint. More astonishing yet, it was a young woman who had ambushed them!

After firing the shots, Dan instantly regretted his decision; the loud gunfire was a beacon, inevitably drawing attention from potential bandit threats.

"Let's go!" Dan urged Anna, pulling her along. Yet, inexplicably, the woman managed to grab hold of Anna's ankle, her eyes pleading for mercy.

Anna, soft-hearted, whispered to her father, "Dad, spare her. She looks pitiful, and she's just a girl. She might not pose a threat to us."

Initially, Dan hesitated, torn between his instinct to protect his daughter and his aversion to harming the woman before them. Truthfully, he'd rather leave the savage to her own demise from the bandits running amok.

But seeing his daughter's worried face, he hesitated.

"Fine, but if she endangers us, I won't hesitate to kill her," he warned the woman sternly.

With determination, Dan dragged the woman forcefully into a nearby crevice, sealing their hiding spot with stones to evade detection. He then secured the iron gate once more, his muscles straining under the effort.

Amidst these hurried maneuvers, Dan's arm throbbed with increasing pain, a testament to the physical strain he endured. He wanted to berate Anna for her naivety, of wanting to spare the savage, but could not find the strength in himself to do so.

The predator, the savage woman, was an unnecessary complication. He could have left her on her own devices, and still be free of conscience. So what next? Should he go and save every savage now? They were predators. For all he knew, they eat human flesh.

Dan was disgusted by parts of his inherited memory, but he didn't let it show.

Dan had no time to care for the woman, leaving her in the corridor, as he urgently ushered Anna towards the main engine room. At this point, all he could do was take a gamble, hoping beyond hope that the main motor was still operational.

With determined fingers, Dan pushed the switch, glancing at the operation procedure guide nearby. Following the instructions, he activated the main switch first, then the booster valve. As fuel coursed through the system, the substantial underwater generator set, positioned directly beneath, roared back to life, filling the underground space with the sound of rushing water. It dawned on Dan that this intricate mechanism served the purpose of water circulation.

Remarkably, the oil-fired generator acted as an auxiliary component for the expansive underground water circulation generator. After an initial start-up period, it transitioned into standby mode. The large generator below commenced its work, drawing groundwater upward. The water, upon hitting the wheel, circled back, significantly minimizing energy loss. Fuel was utilized sparingly, replenishing the generator above only when potential energy levels dipped precariously low.

This advanced system, crafted from specialized materials, showcased the height of technological innovation, a testament to human ingenuity even in dire circumstances.

As the main motor hummed to life, Dan glanced back and noticed the predator woman, still lingering, her condition appearing dire due to excessive blood loss.

"Dad! Is she going to die?!" Anna's voice quivered with concern as she observed the unconscious woman.

Dan swiftly pressed the button to lock the door, the metallic clack resonating through the corridor. Inside the room, the motor's rhythmic hum filled the air, a reassuring sound that marked the revival of the crucial systems within the base.

Once the door was securely sealed, Dan swiftly gathered the unconscious woman into his arms. She appeared far younger than he initially assumed, likely around seventeen or eighteen, and her weight was surprisingly light.

Dan instructed Anna, "Come with me."

Advancing to the end of the corridor, Dan maneuvered his elbow to trigger a switch, initiating the gradual descent of the security doors along the passage. The sight was a spectacle to behold. As the final security door settled into place, Dan let out a sigh of relief. "Let's go, but first, let's attend to her wounds."

He gently laid the woman on one of the barracks' beds, realizing that she had sustained a stab wound on the right side of her lower abdomen and shrapnel damage to her thigh.

To save her, Dan knew he had to address the woman's wounds immediately.

Dan scavenged a few pieces of cloth, tearing them into strips to fashion makeshift bandages. With deliberate care, he wrapped the wounds on her abdomen and thigh, securing them tightly. Bracing himself, he heated a knife with a torch until it glowed red-hot, then skillfully extracted the shrapnel from her wounds.

The woman's eyes widened in shock, her scream piercing the air. She fought against Dan's efforts, but he held her firmly, successfully removing the shrapnel. Later, he instructed Anna to cleanse the wounds with clean water before carefully bandaging them.

Initially resistant, the woman gradually calmed down when she realized Dan had successfully removed the shrapnel. Instead, it was Anna who displayed concern, offering her a bottle of water. The woman hesitated for a moment, but Anna took a sip herself, reassuring her, "You should drink too, especially after sweating so much!"

Dan comforted the woman with a reassuring pat on her back. He met her gaze and said, "I'll tend to your wounds, but don't move. I want you to understand, if you even think about harming my daughter, I won't hesitate to defend her." He brandished his gun, emphasizing his determination.

Upon spotting the firearm, the woman immediately recoiled, avoiding eye contact with Dan. At that moment, a loud clang echoed from the metal door outside, startling Anna, her face drained of color. Worriedly, she questioned, "Dad, what's happening out there?"

"Don't be afraid. If they can't get in, I'll secure the security doors. I'll lower them all," Dan assured Anna.

After meticulously inspecting and ensuring that all security doors were firmly locked, Dan breathed a sigh of relief. "We're safe now. Let them try to break through; they won't succeed if they exhaust themselves."

[The safety doors are functioning normally, maintaining an operational efficiency of 80 points, significantly bolstering the safety factor.]

"Indeed, the security door proves its reliability," Dan sighed with relief, listening to the frenzied banging from the people outside. Despite the chaos, he felt a sense of contentment.

The woman trembled in fear upon hearing the aggressive attempts to breach the door.

Anna, ever empathetic, comforted her with gentle pats on her back, saying, "Don't worry, you're safe here."

Observing the woman, Dan couldn't shake off a twinge of regret. If he healed her and let her go, she might bring her clan back here, potentially endangering them. Yet, killing her would undoubtedly wound Anna emotionally. However, this woman was a predator, a savage at heart! She wasn't a pet; she was a person, albeit a food source, making her inherently more dangerous and unpredictable.

Dan stared at the woman, her eyes mirroring his nervousness.

Glancing back and forth between his father and the woman, Anna inquired softly, "Dad, are you upset?"

"It's alright, I'm just pondering how to handle the situation. With one more person here, our food will grow more strained. However, finding food is essential anyway. I'm contemplating whether she can be trusted. The key issue is the risk she poses if we keep her at home," Dan explained.

Anna felt a pang of discomfort, realizing that her actions had added trouble for her father.

Witnessing his daughter's distress, Dan gently patted her head, consoling her, "It's okay, Dad will figure something out. For now, let her recuperate."

Feeling utterly helpless, Dan resolved to let the woman recover first. With ample food at home, he hoped she wouldn't pose a threat to Anna. Predators only resorted to violence when driven by hunger, and this woman didn't seem exceptionally fierce.

The continuous pounding on the door reverberated, but Dan remained composed. If such a door could be smashed open, there would be no need for armored doors. The door's thickness ensured its resilience, making it almost impervious to their efforts.

Calmly, Dan prepared a warm soup, handing it to the woman, and signaling for her to drink. She looked at him and then at the steaming broth.

Anna smiled reassuringly and took a sip. Following her lead, the woman, clearly famished, drank eagerly. Her ravenous hunger indicated her desperation.

After consuming the hot soup, the woman's agitation seemed to lessen. She remained silent, prompting Anna to turn to Dan and inquire, "Dad, she doesn't seem to have a name. What should we call her?"

"I don't know," Dan replied.

As the father and daughter conversed, a soft, somewhat wild voice emanated from the room, "Nia."

"Well, if it isn't a savage that can speak." Dan's wariness rose as he learned of the discrepancy between his inherited memories and the very supposed-to-be savage in front of him. "So, what now?"